The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1887-02-26
HINTS ON DRAINING.


FrnctIca1 Directions for Improving tins
Waste Land on Farms.
There is on nearly every farm soine
piece Of land, perhaps It may be =
natural hollow near the building, where
the water is damned in for q part OF
the season by higher land where the
wash and dried. leaves have accumu-
lated for years. Such place Is emf
nentiy suited for undertaking. Some
times by digging and maintaining a
large open ditch through the highland,
into which other covered bitches may
run, natural outlet would be formed,
and thus secure the most perfect drain
age at a simple expense. This open
ditch should be dug quite wide at the
top, narrowing down gradually to the
bottom and should be looked after every
year, keeping It little deeper than the
drains that run into it. Uftcntimes, for
acres, surface drains can be run into
this open ditch made by blowing the
land into beds, which will answer very
good purpose. but for all hccd, especially
where it is desirable to work the Land
early, thorough understanding would be
advisable where the land is deep enough
to require it. As to the best material to
be used there may be some doubt. Pos
sibly stones may be used to advantage
in some locations, or logs of wood with
holes running through them leng.Awise,
or three strips of boards, nailed together
in triangular form and covered in
bottom Of the ditch, have been known
to do good work for many years. But
where tile can he obtained as cheaply
as in most locations, there is NO doubt
it is every way the best.
Iprefer to drain land in August, Sep
tember or October. 1 do not think it
judicious to commence work later in the
year. Undertaking should be COM
menced and prosecuted in dry time,
finishing it up rs. quickly as possible.
In the commencement look over care
fully the piece to be drained, using
Judgment and common sense in locating
the bitches. The outlet must be the
lowest point, und the main bitches
should be through the lowest land.
The laterals should enter the main
,ditches in the direction of the outlet,
'and no two should be placed oppo-
,site. The distance apart will depend
upon circumstances. On moist or mod
erately wet land, for grass or other
field crops, 30, 40 or even so feet
will do; but on wet, retentive land, de-
signed for valuable stodk or chance
vegetables, L. 20 to 25 feet apart would
be necessary
If the piece.to be drainA is large and
nearly level, st would be better to em-
ploy an engineer with leveling instru-
ments, and have the depth to be dug
marked on stakes all over the piece
Although very slight fall will do,
two inches to the hundred feet, yet it is
always best 10 have moreTif possible.
For long bitches. plow can fire.
quently be used to advantage, even the
second and third time, Where the land
is very generally underdrained-not
only for nursery and other purposes,
but also for ordinary field crops-e,
buck plow, something similar to our old
subsoilers, ismsed for loosening the soil
to the depth,of two or three feet, and
in that way large fields are drained to
the depth Of -four feet at "a cost of $40
an acre. should not use a plow ir
striking out, but should rcut by line
not over twenty inches wide, if the sod
was firm enough to stand ct that width
if the soil was Of loose texture, the
cut mi ght need to be started two feez
or more in width. The good son
should be thrown on one side.
and the Bottom sop on the
,other. My rrule would be four
feet deep, sometimes nnore, some
times less. O. should net order the
men to dig to tAe full deptk at first, but
lhave a carefdl man dig ito the true
grade afterWgrds. My implements
would be long, sharp spaRe for mark
ling out, best 'crown-poiated, long.
handled shovel, and the very best
heavy picks, we'll sharpened,up. With
good, experienced diggers, the ditch
Ought not to cost, ready for the tile,
over fifty cents ,per rod. Do not per-
niit the men to narrow in the'ditches as
they 60 down, hut keep the sides near
ly,perpendicular 40 within nine or ten
inches of the b0ttOn.-J D. Leisure, in
2bLedo Blade.